Portable radios are used by many different individuals during the course of their work. They are used by law enforcement, fire departments, military personnel, security officers, rescue personnel, park rangers and a multitude of other professions. In many of these cases, the need for a secure and workable radio is a matter of life and death for the user and for other individuals that they are attempting to protect and serve.
Currently, the security of these radios is unacceptable. Radios can be dislodged by simply bending over or knocking into something. Not to mention the heightened risk for military and law enforcement personnel when they become involved in an altercation. Many criminals have noted that the radio is the life line for law enforcement and military officers. The criminals have in numerous occasions intentionally grabbed the officer's radio and pulled it out of the holster to prevent the officer from calling for backup or summoning assistance. This is a serious safety hazard.
The current radio holsters have an elastic cord that extends over the top of the radio and is secured by a metal snap or a plastic hook. These current wayP4s of securing the radio to the holster are easily defeated and the radio can fall out without anyone even touching the radio.
Both U.S. Pat. No. 7,594,305 proposed by Moore and U.S. Patent Application Number 20120181318 proposed by Mongan show radio retention devices that can be used for portable radios. Both of these patents have significant short comings that will be overcome with the portable radio retention devices described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,594,305 attaches the radio by the antenna or electrical socket and U.S. Patent Application Number 20120181318 creates a new holster with a lanyard that attaches around the antenna of the radio. Both the tether and the lanyard could severely damage the radio since the antenna is not designed to bear the weight of the radio. If an altercation occurs, the antenna is also not suitable to bear the weight of someone pulling against it. Damage to the antenna would be just as detrimental to the security of the user as losing the radio out of the holster. The antenna is necessary for radio reception to be achieved and this reception and access to the radio is the user's life line in many situations.
Another disadvantage to U.S. Patent Application Number 20120181318 by Mongan is that it requires the user to buy a completely new holster. The first embodiment can be used with most existing holsters. A second embodiment has the retention device embedded into the holster if the purchase of an entire new holster would be desired.
There is a definite need in the current market for a radio retention device that can securely maintain a radio in a safe and economical manner. In conclusion, insofar as I am aware, no radio retention device exists that will allow the user to secure the radio to the current holster without creating potential damage to the radio or antenna or interference with any radio controls.